Microsoft makes Copilot agent mode default in Word Excel PowerPoint

Technology Apr 24, 2026

Microsoft just made Copilot Agent Mode the new default in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Announced by CEO Satya Nadella, this update means Copilot can now handle tasks directly in your files, not just answer prompts, making things a lot more hands-off.

Copilot drafts, crunches numbers, refreshes slides

Now, Copilot can draft and reorganize docs in Word, crunch numbers and spot trends in Excel, and refresh your slides to match templates in PowerPoint.
Powered by smarter AI models (with a little help from Work IQ), it's designed to take care of the repetitive stuff so you can focus on bigger projects.
Microsoft also plans more upgrades, like better accuracy for complex work, and early usage data shows increased engagement and satisfaction.